Look like a million for less than a thousand

A few years ago, my friend Alfie asked me if I could help her find an outfit that was more in line with her ADB surroundings. She needed something that was more classy corporate without looking too stuffy. More importantly, she needed something that would cost P1,000 or less.

"No problem," I said.

Being an avid comparison shopper, and having the patience to pore through bazaars and shopping haunts, I know for a fact that you can put together a full outfit for less than a thousand bucks. And the great thing is, this P1,000 outfit looks way, way more expensive than that. It's all a matter of finding the right material and design - one that looks classy and classic. Then look for interesting colors and prints, and you've got that million dollar look.

My visit to Robinson's Galleria and Landmark last Sunday proves this point. Both places were on sale, so it was a perfect place to hunt for that P1,000 or less outfit.

And here's what I was able to come up with. A classic, casual outfit with some quirky twists.



The carrot pants with accompanying belt was from Penshoppe. It was on sale at P349.00. The cut and color are both on-trend and versatile, so it was well worth the price. The top was from Landmark, and it's a sheer shirt with a button front, and the color combination is khaki and black, which matches the pants perfectly.



If you look closely, the shirt has a cute cat print. And this little number is just P229.75.



To complete the look, take these versatile black ballerina flats that are in patent and adorned with a gold ribbon. It's the classic shoe made more visually interesting. A steal at P379.75.



So, all in all, this outfit will just set you back P958.50. And if you have a budget of P1,000, you still have P41.50 left. That's enough to get you a Jollibee 39ers, or a medium Zagu.



But wait, that's not all! (That's the home TV shopping in me talking.) If you want something more colorful and screams summer, then the malls also have something for you. For less than a thousand, of course.

Presenting the refreshing summer pair at a refreshing summer price.



This top is an export overrun, and according to the tag, it's from Gap. It's a cotton jersey shirt with a lace detail on top, and the body itself has a pinkish-orange watercolor stripe. When I asked how much it was, I had to ask her again because I wasn't sure if I heard the price right. It was P165.00!



In keeping with the summer theme, this top is best paired with these coral colored trousers from Folded and Hung. They were on-sale at Galleria, and the awesome thing was, their sale items had an additional 30% off. Because of that, this pair of pants cost only P210.00. Yes Virginia, THESE PANTS ARE JUST P210.00!!!



That means this ensemble is just P375.00 in total. You can buy two of these and still have money left over for a meal at Yellow Cab Pizza!

Looking for deals and looking expensive isn't that hard to do in Manila. All you need to do is search, and you'll find hundreds of options. And it'll only cost you a few hundred bucks.